I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

Have you looked at a calendar today? There's nothing significant about October 25th, except that I find myself thinking about how Christmas is only two months away. You know when people talk about the metaphorical "happy place"? Mine is Christmas. It's two months until Christmas, and Christmas is already on my mind. Before you start thinking I'm crazy, it's not like Christmas is all I'm thinking about. Every once in a while, my mind just wanders to this place.

I start thinking about how great it would be to throw a small Christmas party for friends and family. Just a small group around a Christmas tree, playing board games, having a great time simply being in each others company. Sometimes I start thinking about my favorite Christmas TV specials and movies. They all represent what I love best about the Christmas season.

When I was a kid I got excited about Christmas because of toys and all of the excitement of the season. Christmas is kind of a playground as a kid. Now I love the season because it represents three of my favorite things: Jesus, family, and giving. Is it strange that at different points in the year I yearn for the lights of a Christmas tree? Probably, but really what I'm yearning for is the time of year when Jesus, family, and giving are actually considered a norm. If you ask me, it's a little strange that those things are not more present throughout the rest of the year.

P.S.
This whole post was written while listening to Vince Guaraldi's instrumental version of O Tannenbaum from the A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack. The jazzy sound of the piano playing that song always catches my ear in the scene where Charlie Brown goes to find a Christmas tree.